🌘

“Sure, sounds great!” you say.

[Zeta liked that]

“Great, great,” it says. “My Obfuscation’s pretty good, been obfuscating myself a long time.”

You hear someone ascending the ladder. Akiko climbs up onto the roof. You and Zeta both wave excitedly.

“Reporting for ÆON Club,” she signs.

You send a message to the inbox in your primitive computer:

2254-07-18 14:35:33 Aydan > calling ÆON, ÆON to the near-surface

2254-07-18 14:35:34 ÆON > I am here Aydan.

“Everyone’s present,” you sign.

2254-07-18 14:35:41 Aydan > as usual we'll use sign, most secure communication, watch through my eyes

2254-07-18 14:35:42 ÆON > understood

“Okay, first of all, anyone learn anything new?” Zeta signs.

“Whispers,” Akiko signs, “spoken quietly, thinking nobody can read their lips. Add Almast Kasabian and Guan Yu, both second years, to the list. They were at the gathering.”

“Could they be the Vessel?” you sign.

She shakes her head. “They both talked about seeing the binding from the outside, so no.”

“I have a rough idea of Synth’s class schedule, kept my distance enough to not be noticed,” you sign. “They haven’t contacted me since the gathering.”

“Identified another suspected cult member, Cilla Roosa, first year. Talked the right kind of cryptic shit,” Zeta signs.

“That makes…seven possible members of the Chosen of ÆON and seven possible students wrapped up in the NULL conspiracy,” Akiko signs. “We grow more outnumbered by the day…”

“The midterm remains my biggest concern,” Zeta signs. “The cult attacked Aydan during a scheduled network interface in class, even when it was surrounded by other students and professor Kitov who does not seem like someone to fuck with. During the exam fæ’ll be all alone and vulnerable.”

“True, but unlike regular class sessions, the date and time of each individual exam isn’t public knowledge, as long as Aydan keeps it to herself then only the professors and Admins will know of that vulnerability,” Akiko signs.

“And the medical staff?” you sign.

“They know when an exam is happening, not who they’re going to be sedating,” she signs.

“Still, we can’t be careless, we need more allies as soon as possible,” Zeta signs.